preeminence
/pɹiˈɛ.mɪˌnəns/
preeminence means the status of being preeminent, dominant or ascendant. It carries an Arena rating of 1508, earned across 36 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, preeminence ranks #2,258 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #3,130 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #3,783 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #4,602 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words.
preeminence is pronounced /pɹiˈɛ.mɪˌnəns/.
Why “preeminence” is a great word
PREEMINENCE — [Noun] The state or fact of surpassing all others in importance, rank, or distinction. From the Latin praeēminēntia, from prae- ("before, ahead of") and ēminēre ("to stand out, project"). Unlike "supremacy," which implies unchallenged dominion, or "prominence," which suggests conspicuousness without inherent superiority, preeminence denotes a conceded, gravitational superiority in quality or status. It is the violinist’s tone that silences a room of peers, the definitive text that renders others footnotes, the unspoken deference shown to the master craftsman—a quiet, indisputable verdict of being first among equals.
Etymology
From Latin praeēminēntia.
noun
- The status of being preeminent, dominant or ascendant.
- High importance; superiority.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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